Starting a Sudbury School

[Sally Rosloff]

I am just finishing this book and can't help but wonder about the fate of 15 startup groups interviewed. How many went on to become schools? Of those, how many are still open and of the ones that closed how long were they each in operation?

I enjoyed reading Nan Narboe's account of Cascade Valley School in Portland, Ore. but when I looked it up saw that it was closed and had been open for at least 6 years but I don't know when it closed.

I live in the Los Angeles area and see that of 4 schools started in the last 10 years in northern CA only one remains open today, and I think it is the only one now in CA.

My young adult children, who unschooled as teens, are not planning on having children for quite some time but still are wondering what they will do for school...why don't you start a school Mom?

So I'm reading and thinking and wondering about all the reasons why people have come and gone on this list in the past 8 years or so that I've been on it who have said they were starting a group to start a school in Southern CA but none have come close as far as I know.

I would think LA is large enough to support a school but it is also so large geography becomes an issue for location, and real estate is high, even with the recession...well there are plenty of reasons why something might not work, but what about the reason it will?

Also read Announcing a New School and really enjoyed that. Between the two books the reality feels more clear, rather than just living in my head with the idea of it. I get the human rights aspect and the self-initiating aspect, having gone through that with my own kids. But the reality of actually forming a democratic organization from scratch, with the people who show up, is something I've not experienced. I can't get enough of reading about it. I see that Diablo Valley School (near San Francisco, the one school here in CA) is having an Open House in October which I'm thinking would be a good idea to attend.

Am also struck by the piece Greenberg included in the final Appendix to Starting a Sudbury School about the difference between being reformist and being revolutionary...being revolutionary helps explain why advocating these ideas meets so much resistance...and also makes me wonder about how much of a market there is here to support it...

Thanks for letting me share me my musings/wonderings on this Saturday morning...

[The Sudbury Valley School Office]

Well, Sally,

Certainly LA is big enough to support several Sudbury schools!  That is not where you have to tread lightly.  What is necessary to get one going, as should be clear from your reading, is a GROUP (at least two; more is much, much better) of clear, knowledgeable (about the model), and committed people.

Good luck!

MImsy

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[Áine Sheridan]

Although I have no idea what the numbers are, my feeling is more often than not, Sudbury schools close rather than succeed.  I think it is very difficult to establish a Sudbury school, for a multitude of reasons, but I think the biggest obstacle is that parents have a hard time paying money for their children to "sit and watch tv all day" (not that every, or even most children do this, but the potential is there).  

Diablo Valley is unfortunately, the only school in CA still going (and yes, you should visit them, it will be certainly be worth it) although there is a start-up group in San Diego.  

Although I've never been there, I've always wondered about Play Mountain Place in LA.  Supposedly it is similar to Sudbury, but many people don't pick up on some of the subtle but crucial differences between Sudbury schools and other schools that appear to follow a compatible philosophy.

[Sally Rosloff]

Thank you for your reply!  

Yes, it's becoming clear to me that I am the one who holds the vision, not so clear to me that I am the ur-founder, but it's the group that's important and I'm getting much clearer on the roles and commitment necessary...I think the planning kit is in my near future...

Sally